Child&#39;s toilet seat



c. A. SCHRADER CHILDS TOILET SEAT Filed Jan. 7, 1957 June 2, 1959 Patented June 2, 1959 CIMDS TOILET SEAT Constance A. Schrader, Des Plaines, Ill.

Application January 7, 1957, Serial No. 632,736

7 Claims. (Cl. 4-439) This invention relates to toilet seats and more particularly to an auxiliary toilet seat intended for use in conjunction with a conventional toilet seat for safe support of a child.

Prior to the present invention, auxiliary toilet seats of this type have been characterized by rigid construction, and have customarily been made of wood, rigid plastic, or the like. A disadvantage of prior toilet seats of this type was that they were heavy, bulky and difiicult to transport with ease. Another disadvantage of known auxiliary seats was that they were diflicult to fix in position, and had a tendency to become displaced once positioned. In prior constructions, a rigid supporting member having an opening dimensioned to conform generally to the requirements of the average child, was provided for supporting the child in toilet position. The rigid support member was commonly attached to the usual seat by frictional retainers that tended to become distorted so that they were no longer operative. Urine deflectors, commonly of semi-rigid rubber or the like have been provided for use by a male child.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary toilet seat for use by children which is characterized by flexibility and which may readily be folded into compact form for traveling.

A further object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary toilet seat of the stated type which is capable of supporting a child safely in toilet position and in which flexible means are provided for efliciently and effectively deflecting urine in the proper direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary toilet seat of the mentioned character having an integrally-formed urine deflector which normally tends to assume an upright position when the auxiliary seat is in operative position on a conventional toilet seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary toilet seat of the type described having a urine deflector so formed that it assumes a concave hood-like shape and upright position when the seat is in use.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary toilet seat of the type described in which a sheet of flexible material having a suitable opening is adapted to be stretched across a conventional toilet seat, and in which a binder tape is secured to the marginal edge of the sheet defining the opening in such a manner that a panel is formed which normally extends upwardly from said sheet and to which a flexible deflector may be secured.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the pres ent invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention and embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings in which each and every detail shown and illustrated is fully and completely disclosed as a part of this specification, in which like refere'nce numerals refer to like parts and in which:

I Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a toilet seat made in accordance with the present invention, shown in oper ative position on a conventional toilet seat;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the auxiliary toilet seat of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevational View, somewhat en larged, of a urine deflector forming a part of the auxiliary toilet seat of Figures 1 and 2, partly in section as taken substantially on line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational sectional View taken substantially on line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view showing details of the urine deflector, partly in section as taken on line V-V of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the auxiliary toilet seat in operative p osition on a conventional toilet seat;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational sectional view taken substantially on line VII-VII of Figure 2 showing details of a binder tape forming a part of the auxiliary seat of the present invention; and

Figure 8 is an elevational front view of a pouch that may be utilized to carry the auxiliary seat of the present invention while traveling.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the auxiliary toilet seat of the present invention, indicated generally by reference numeral 10, has a main panel 12 formed of a sheet of flexible material which in the preferred embodiment takes the form of a somewhat self-sustaining Woven fabric of nylon or the like, and a substantially U-shaped panel 14, the outer marginal edge of which is secured to the outer marginal edge of the main panel 12 to form a pocket 16 in which is received a conventional toilet seat. As shown in Figure 6, the panels 12 and 14 are so dimensioned that the panel 12 is tautly stretched across the opening of the conventional toilet seat. The present auxiliary seat is slid over the conventional seat and is secured snugly in position by a conventional hook and eye fastener 18 in a manner hereafter described.

The panel 12 is generally elliptical in shape but has a straight edge 2% so that it conforms to the configuration of a conventional toilet seat. Disposed centrally of the main panel of sheet material 12 is an opening 22 which, as shown best in Figure 2 is defined by a generally ovate marginal edge 24. Secured to the inner marginal edge of the main panel 12 is a binder tape 26 which, as shown in Figure 7, is initially folded upon itself, and the free edges thereof, in the preferred form of the invention, are secured to the inner marginal edge of the main panel 12 by means of a line of blind stitching 28. The tape 26 is then folded around the free edge of the panel 12 and around its own free edges, and secured to the main panel 12 by a line of stitching 30. By this arrangement, a bead is formed which extends a substantially equal distance outwardly over both the upper and lower surfaces of the main panel 12 throughout a major portion of the inner periphery of the main panel. Means are provided for securing a urine deflector 32 to the inner marginal edge of the main panel 12 in a manner that it normally tends to assume an upright position while the seat is in use. The urine deflector 32 may be of flexible material and is desirably of the same material as that of panels 12 and 14.

According to an important feature of the present invention the urine deflector 32 is constructed and arranged so that it assumes a concave hood-like shape when the auxiliary toilet seat is in operative position and is secured to the inner marginal edge of the panel 12 in such a manner that it assumes an upright position when in use. Referring now to Figure 5, the urine deflector 32 comprises a pair of panels 34 and 36 secured toeach other along a marginal edge by a line of blind stitching 38. The top edge of the deflector 32 is arcuate in conformation and thus the line of stitching 38 is continuous along the side and top edges. The desired hood-like shape of the deflector 32 is afforded by folding over the lower edge of the panels 34 and 36 twice so that a reinforced section 40 is formed. The panels 34 and as are retained in folded position by means of lines of stitching 42 and 44.

The head 26 extends as shown in Figure 7 throughout the greater portion of the inner periphery of the panel 12. At the front of this peripheral edge, however, the line of stitching 30 extends at each side gradually inwardly of the inner marginal edge of the panel 12 so that the seam formed by the blind stitching 28 assumes a position in coincidence with the inner marginal edge, and a generally crescent shaped panel 4-6 is formed which normally has a tendency to assume an upright position perpendicular to the plane of the main panel 12. As shown best in Figure 4, the lower marginal edges of the panels 34 and 36 are received within the seam formed by the blind stitching 28. Since the panel 46 normally tends to assume an upright position, the deflector 32 normally tends to do likewise. This tendency is, of course, aided by the presence of the reinforced gusset-like reinforced section 463.

The fasterner 18 includes a hook 48 secured to one free end of a tape 52 and receivable in an eye 50 secured to the other end of the tape 52, which is attached to the straight edge 29 of the main panel 12 and to the free end edges of the U-shaped panel 14.

The above-described auxiliary toilet seat exhibits convenience and form and improved structural characteristics. The seat is particularly adapted for the use of children while traveling and may be folded compactly so that it fits in a small pouch of the type shown in Figure 8, which may be of plastic or the like.

The present invention contemplates the use of materials other than woven fabrics and may be made of any suitable plastic material. In that case, it is contemplated that the constituent elements be secured together by heatsealing.

In forming the present auxiliary seat, the main panel 12 may be in the shape shown and provided with the opening 22 The binder tape 26 is then folded upon itself and blindly sewn along stitching 28 to the inner marginal edge 24 of the panel 12. The tape 26 may be continuous or may be in several sections to facilitate its application to the edge 24. Then the tape 26 is folded over its own free edges and the edge 24 and seamed by stitching 30 to the panel 12 in close spaced relation to the seam formed by the blind stitching, as shown in Figure 7. The stitching 30 is spaced substantially equally from the edge 24 throughout the back and sides of the edge 24 and is directed progressively inwardly towards the front, as shown in Figure 2, so that the seam formed by the blind stitching 28 is coincident with the edge 24 and all of the tape 26 is secured to the undersurface of the panel 12. By this arrangement, the tape is distorted and has a normal tendency to straighten. Since the panel 46 is formed by the stitching 39 and all of the tape 26 is secured to the under-surface of the panel 46, the tape 26 tends to urge the panel 46 in an upright position perpendicular to the plane of the panel 12. As the panel 46 is formed, the deflector 32 is inserted between the panel 12 and the tape 26 and thus is secured thereto by the stitching 319.

The panels 12 and 14 are arranged in an inside out relation and sewn together along their confronting outer edges. The seat is then turned rightside in and the tape 52, along with the fastener 18 is then positioned. The panel 14 may be provided with a conventional bead 60, desirably before the panel 14 is secured to the panel 112.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

all

1. An auxiliary toilet seat for children comprising an upper sheet of flexible material defining a support surface and having an opening therein, a binder tape secured to the inner marginal edge of said sheet, said binder tape assembled to the forward portion of said inner marginal edge in a manner to deflect a portion of the marginal edge of said sheet to form a panel normally tending to assume a position perpendicular to said sheet and extending upwardly therefrom, said binder tape being folded upon itself and having its free edges sewn to the marginal edge of said sheet defining said opening to form a blind stitch, said binder tape being folded over the free edges thereof and the inner marginal edge of the sheet to form a bead extending over both surfaces of the inner marginal edge of the sheet substantially an equal distance throughout a major portion of the inner marginal edge, said tape being folded over said sheet a progressively greater distance until the blind stitch assumes a position coincident with the free edge of the sheet, a line of stitching equidistant from the fold line of said tape securing said folded tape to said sheet, a flexible urine deflector secured to said panel and adapted to assume an upright position when said sheet is in operative position, a U- shaped lower sheet attached to the forward and side outer end portions of said upper sheet leaving free end portions, and means attached to the free end portions of said lower sheet for attaching said auxiliary toilet seat in superimposed relation on a conventional toilet seat.

2. An auxiliary toilet seat for children comprising an upper sheet of flexible material defining a support surface and having an opening therein, a binder tape secured to the inner marginal edge of said sheet, said binder tape assembled to the forward portion of said inner marginal edge in a manner to deflect a portion of the marginal edge of said sheet to form a panel normally tending to assume a position perpendicular to said sheet and extending upwardly therefrom with a concave configuration, said binder tape being folded upon itself and having its free edges sewn to the marginal edge of said sheet defining said opening to form a blind stitch, said binder tape being folded over the free edges thereof and the inner marginal edge of the sheet to form a bead extending over both surfaces of the inner marginal edge of the upper sheet substantially an equal distance throughout a major portion of the inner marginal edge, said tape being folded over said sheet a progressively greater distance until the blind stitch assumes a position coincident with the free edge of the sheet, a line of stitching equidistant from the fold line of said tape securing said folded tape to said sheet, a flexible urine deflector, the lower end of said deflector secured to said panel and adapted to assume an upright position when said sheet is in operative position, a lower U-shaped panel having free end arm portions and inner and outer edge portions, the outer edge portion of said lower panel secured to the outer edge portion of said upper sheet, and ribbon means secured to said free end arm portion for securing said auxiliary toilet seat in superimposed relation on a conventional toilet seat.

3. An auxiliary toilet seat for children comprising a sheet of flexible material defining an upper support surface and having an opening therein, a deflector having a lower edge folded upon itself to form a gusset-like section so that it normally assumes a concave hood-like configuration, said gusset-like section affording a reinforced area which tends to give rigidity thereto, a binder tape secured to the inner marginal edge of said sheet, said binder tape being arranged to deflect a portion of the marginal edge of said sheet to form a panel normally tending to assume a position perpendicular to said sheet and extending upwardly therefrom, said binder tape being folded upon itself and having its free edges sewn to the marginal edge of said sheet defining said opening to form a blind stitch, said binder tape being folded over the free edges thereof and the inner marginal edge of the sheet to form a bead extending over both surfaces of the inner marginal edge of the sheet substantially an equal distance throughout a major portion of the inner marginal edge, said tape being folded over said sheet a progressively greater distance until the blind stitch assumes a position coincident with the free edge of the sheet, a line of stitching equidistant from the fold line of said tape securing said folded tape to said sheet, said flexible urine deflector secured to said panel and adapted to assume an upright position when said sheet is in operative position,and means for securing said sheet in superimposed relation on a conventional toilet seat, said last named means including a U-shaped panel having inner and outer edge portions and two arm portions, the outer edge portions of said U-shaped panel secured to the outer edge portions of said upper support surface, and two pieces of flexible tape-like material each having one end attached to one of said arm portions, the opposite ends of the tape forming quick detachable elements.

4. An auxiliary toilet seat for children comprising an upper sheet of flexible material defining an upper support surface and having inner peripheral edge about an opening therein, a deflector having a lower edge folded upon itself to form a gusset-like section so that it normally assumes a concave hood-like configuration, a binder tape secured to the inner marginal edge of said sheet, said binder tape being arranged to deflect a portion of the marginal edge of said sheet to form a panel normally tending to assume a position perpendicular to said sheet and extending upwardly therefrom, said binder tape being folded upon itself and having its free edges sewn to the marginal edge of said sheet defining said opening to form a blind stitch, said binder tape being folded over the free edges thereof and the inner marginal edge of the upper sheet to form a bead extending over both surfaces of the inner marginal edge of the sheet substantially an equal distance throughout a major portion of the inner marginal edge, said tape being folded over said sheet a progressively greater distance until the blind stitch assumes a position coincident with the free edge of the upper sheet, a line of stitching equidistant from the fold line of said tape securing said folded tape to said upper sheet, said flexible urine deflector secured at its lower edge portion to said panel and adapted to assume an upright position when said sheet is in operative position, and means for securing said sheet in superimposed relation on a conventional toilet seat, said last-named means including a U- shaped panel of flexible material with inner and outer edges and free arm portions, the outer marginal edge of said U-shaped panel being secured to the outer marginal edge of said upper sheet as to underlie the under surface of a conventional toilet seat when in operative position and readily detachable means joining the free arms of said U-shaped panel.

5. An auxiliary toilet seat for children comprising an upper sheet of flexible material defining an upper support surface and having an inner peripheral edge about an opening therein, a flexible urine deflector having a lower edge folded upon itself to form a gusset-like section so that it normally assumes a concave hood-like configuration, a binder tape secured to the inner marginal edge of said sheet, said binder tape being arranged to deflect a portion of the marginal edge of said sheet to form a panel normally tending to assume a position perpendicular to said sheet and extending upwardly therefrom, said binder tape being folded upon itself and having its free edges sewn to the marginal edge of said sheet defining said opening to form a blind stitch, said binder tape being folded over the free edges thereof and the inner marginal edge of the upper sheet to form a bead extending over both surfaces of the inner marginal edge of the sheet substantially an equal distance throughout a major portion of the inner marginal edge, said tape being folded over said sheet a progressively greater distance until the blind stitch assumes a positive coincident with the free edge of the upper sheet, a line of stitching equidistant from the fold line of said tape securing said folded tape to said upper sheet, said flexible urine deflector secured at its lower edge portion to said panel and adapted to assume an upright position when said sheet is in operative position, and means for securing said sheet in superimposed relation on a conventional toilet seat, said lastnamed means including a U-shaped panel of flexible material with inner and outer edges, and free arm portions, the outer marginal edge of said U-shaped panel being secured to the outer marginal edge of said upper sheet as to underlie the under surface of a conventional toilet seat when in operative position, said upper sheet being generally elliptical in conformation but having a straight rear edge to conform to the shape of a conventional toilet seat, and a continuous strip of tape secured to said rear inner marginal edge of said upper sheet and to the free rear edges of the free arms of said U-shaped panel, the free ends of the tape adapted to underlie the conventional toilet seat and adapted to be secured together to urge the free arms of the U-shaped panel towards each other for maintaining the auxiliary seat in operative position.

6. A portable auxiliary toilet seat for attachment to a conventional toilet seat and for use by children comprising an upper sheet of flexible material defining an upper horizontal support surface and having an opening centrally arranged therein to overlie the opening in the conventional toilet seat, a U-shaped sheet of flexible material with free end portions defining a lower sheet enclosing surface, the outer peripheral edge portion of said U- shaped sheet secured to the outer peripheral edge portion of the forward and side portions of said upper support surface, a flexible urine deflector, a binder tape secured to the inner marginal edge of the upper sheet, said binder tape being arranged to deflect a portion of the marginal edge of said upper sheet to form a panel normally tending to assume a position perpendicular to said upper sheet and extending upwardly therefrom, said binder tape being folded upon itself and having free edges sewn to the marginal edge of said upper sheet defining said opening to form a blind stitch, said binder tape being folded over the free edges thereof and the inner marginal edge of the upper sheet to form a bead extending over both surfaces of the inner marginal edge of the sheets substantially in equal distance throughout a major portion of the inner marginal edge, said tape being folded over said upper sheet a progressively greater distance until the blind stitch assumes a position coincident with the pre-edge of the upper sheet, a line of stitching equidistant from the full line of said tape securing said folded tape to said upper sheet, said flexible urine deflector secured at its lower edge portion to said panel, said deflector adapted to assume an upright position when said combined upper and lower sheets are attached to the conventional toilet seat in an operative position, and means secured to the free ends of said lower U-shaped sheet for attaching the portable toilet seat to the conventional toilet seat.

7. A portable auxiliary toilet seat for attachment to a conventional toilet seat and for use by children comprising a sheet of flexible material defining an upper horizontal support surface and having an opening centrally arranged therein to overlie the opening in the conventional toilet seat, a U-shaped sheet of flexible material with free end portions defining a lower enclosing surface, the outer peripheral edge portion of said U-shaped sheet secured to the outer peripheral edge portion of the forward and side portions of said upper support surface, a binder tape secured to the inner marginal edge of said upper support sheet about said opening, said binder tape and said inner marginal edge portion forming a panel at the forward inner edge portion thereof, said binder tape being folded upon itself and having its free edges sewn to the marginal edge of said sheet defining said opening to form a blind stitch, said binder tape being folded over the free edges thereof and the inner marginal edge of r aeeaeee configuration and a position perpendicular to said upper 10 sheet and extending upwardly therefrom a flexible and (j foidable urine deflector secured to said panel and extending upwardly therefrom, and means attached to the free ends of the lower sheet for attaching said auxiliary toilet seat on a conventional toilet seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,015,512 Ross et a1 Jan. 23, 1912 1,068,109 Comins July 22, 1913 1,710,620 Hawkins Apr. 23, 1929 

